DOCTRINE AND DISCIPLINE

Doctrine, disciple and discipline are related terms.Doctrine means "something taught; teachings ... something taught as the principles or creed of a religion,political party, etc.; tenet or tenets; belief, dogma."Disciple means "to teach, to learn, comprehend, ... apupil, a follower, or adherent of any teacher or school ofreligion ..." Discipline means "A branch of knowledge orlearning ... training that develops self-control, character, or orderliness and efficiency ... the result of such training; self-control; orderly conduct... acceptance of orsubmission to authority or control... a system of rules ormethods ... treatment that corrects or punishes." (Webster's New World Dictionary).

Simply stated, Doctrine is teaching something; disciple is the learner or follower of the teacher: he receivesthe doctrine; and discipline is training or developing inthe doctrine, which requires instruction and correcting.The doctrine is the gospel of Christ: that which Jesus andhis apostles taught. Those who hear and obey the gospelof Christ are disciples or followers. The disciples who arereproved, corrected and instructed in righteousness aredisciplined in the Lord. The sum of this is stated inMatthew 28: 18-20: "And Jesus came and spake untothem, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven andin earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all thingswhatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am withyou alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Here we have doctrine, disciples and discipline: teaching,making followers, and instruction (discipline).

We have many people in the church today who despiseboth doctrine and discipline. It is increasingly difficult toget an audience of people to listen to sound doctrine formore than 20 or 30 minutes on Lord's day morning.Usually a much smaller number is in attendance at theevening services. A watered down version of Bible teaching that is calculated to tickle the ears of hearers ratherthan convict and convert has taken the place of soundgospel preaching. Some of these preachers lay awake atnight dreaming up new ideas, catch phrases and programs designed to win large crowds of mostly young people and enthusiastic followers, who are uneducatedin the truth of the gospel. Scriptural discipline wouldclear up this dilemma in many congregations.

When the time comes to administer corrective discipline, there are some who angrily defend the sinfuldisciple with excuses and untrue charges against theelders and the church. They do not want to discipline anyone. The American Civil Liberties Union is dedicated to liberating criminals and avoiding the just andlegal penalties of the most vicious and senseless crimesagainst humanity. Most of these criminals forfeit theircivil rights to be free to prey again and again uponsociety by their crimes. The attitude exists in the church to defend all sorts of spiritual crime against Christ andhis church.

We know that Jesus Christ came to seek and to save the lost. Sinners are the object of the love of God thatgave Christ to die for sin (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8, 9). Onewho had sinned after obeying the gospel of Christ wastold to "Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may beforgiven thee" (Acts 8:22, 23). His sin was grievous: He was "in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity."The one who repents of sins and turns again to the Lordis being disciplined. That is exactly what rebuke andreproof is intended to do. That is discipline.

God's word teaches the church to discipline disobedient disciples even to the point to "withdraw yourselvesfrom every brother that walketh disorderly, and notafter the tradition which he received of us" (2 Thess. 3:6).

And also To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved inthe day of the Lord Jesus" (1 Cor. 5:5). That is what theNew Testament plainly teaches. How can one be a faithful disciple of the great Teacher and ignore or reject thissignificant doctrine? A skillfully devised attack uponcorrective discipline by misusing and misapplying scriptures should be exposed. The best of them will noteliminate one single passage from the verbally inspired body of truth from heaven. God has spoken! His words shall not pass away! Any one who preaches anothergospel besides the one preached by the apostles ispreaching a perverted gospel and is accursed, becausethere is but one gospel (Gal. 1:6-8).

Suppose the elders and brethren should simply passby and cover up cases of needed corrective or punitivediscipline (withdrawing ourselves from such), in order toappease the weak defenders of impenitent sinners, whatwould be the results? It would not be a stronger church,because Paul said "... a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump" (1 Cor. 5:6). The fact is that the sinner wouldcontinue in his sin and be lost, other weak discipleswould drift away because there is no deterrent to them,and the church would be weaker and less able to supportthe gospel in its purity in a wicked world. Nobody would.gain in this situation.

But suppose the elders and brethren insisted that sinbe dealt with just as Jesus Christ directed in the gospel,and put the disobedient disciple away from the faithful,what would be the result? The sinner would most likelyrepent and return to the Lord. At least, he would knowfaithful brethren do not approve of his sinful life. That iswhat the Lord wants, and that is what we should strivefor. That is the purpose of such discipline. In addition thechurch would be stronger and in better position todefend and support the gospel. The elders and brethren would be faithful to the Lord, and the preachers wouldbe encouraged to proclaim the unadulterated gospel, the power of God to save. By practicing corrective disciplinethe church has every thing to gain and nothing to lose,but by ignoring scriptural discipline the church and thesinner have every thing to lose and nothing to gain.Brethren, think on these things!

KIDS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Whatever happened to uncluttered and simple lives?It seems like only yesterday life was slower and morerelaxed in our Little House on the Prairie. Welcome to the brink of the twenty-first century! Pa Ingalls wouldn't believe his eyes. Walnut Grove has changed a lot since they added the Pizza Hut, the 7-Eleven, multi-laneinterchanges, automatic teller machines, personalcomputers and Big Macs. Life will never again be like it once was.

We enjoy the benefits and conveniences of modernliving to be sure, but we also suffer the inevitableconsequences of fast-paced lifestyles and haggard schedules. Help for the hurried home is a priority need formodern families. And who doesn't need it? We are always in a rush, always on the move, always out ofbreath, always exhausted and overly stressed. Ours is a love affair with haste and hurry. We live for the immediate and sacrifice the permanent. And our families suffer.

SLOW DOWN! Life is too short to rush through likea mad-man on a fast-laned freeway. Have some fun withyour family. Relax. Learn to love your kids — I said:LEARN TO LOVE YOUR KIDS!

One thing that impresses me about Jesus was that Hewas always busy. In fact, there never was anyone any busier than He. But one never gets the feeling when studying the life of Christ that He ever hurried, that Heever had to play "catch up ball," or that He was evertaken by surprise. He maximized His time, managed itwell and left Himself adequate amounts for prayer,meditation and private teachings. And he never got sobusy that He didn't have time for the little ones ...

"Then some children were brought to Him so that Hemight lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciplesrebuked them. But Jesus said, 'Let the children alone,and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for thekingdom of heaven belongs to such as these' " (Matt. 19:13-14).

Moms and Dads — we have got to do a better job raisin' our kids! Materialism, crowded schedules, working mothers, power hungry yuppie fathers are all factorsthat are killing our kids. Look around ... WE'RE LOSING OUR CHILDREN! That has got to be the majorissue before us.

May I speak frankly with you fathers? Do you feeladequate as a father? I readily confess that I don't.

Sometimes I feel so inadequate, so insufficient, so filledwith failure. But one thing I am sure of and that is the need to communicate daily my love to my children. Love demands communication and communication demands expression. You pick up that child in your arms and tellhim that your greatest claim to fame in all the world isthat you're his daddy. And if you do that, he'll forgive your stupid blunders, he'll overlook you're imperfectionsand see past your mistakes because you have communicated your love through expression. Dads, are you communicating love to your kids? Are you expressing itDAILY? Another area where we fathers (and mother, too) blow itis that we expect too much out of our kids too soon. Wedemand perfection and practice the fine art of constantfault-finding. I came across the following piece not longago and it touched my heart as I hope it will yours. I do not know who wrote it. But it tells a story that many ofus fathers are too familiar with. Read it carefully and Ithink you may find someone in it you know. ...

Listen Son!

"Listen, son; I am saying this to you as you lie asleep,one little paw crumpled under your cheek and the blondcurls sticking on your damp forehead. I have stolen intoyour room alone. Just a few minutes ago, as I sat reading my newspaper, a hot stifling wave of remorse swept overme. I could not resist. Guiltily I came to your bedside.

These are the things I was thinking, son. I have beencross to you. I scolded you as you were dressing for schoolbecause you gave your face merely a dab with the towel.I took you to task for not cleaning your shoes. I called outangrily when I found you had thrown some of yourthings on the floor.

At breakfast I found fault, too. You spilled things. You gulped down your food. You put your elbows on the table.You spread butter too thick on your bread. And as youstarted off to play and I made for the office, you turned and waved a little hand and called, "Good-bye, Daddy,"and I frowned and said in reply, "Hold your shouldersback!"

Then it all began all over again in the afternoon. As Icame up the hill I spied you, down on your hands andknees playing marbles. There were holes in yourtrousers knees. I humiliated you before your friends by making you march ahead of me into the house. Clothes are expensive and if you had to buy them you would be more careful. What wise logic from your father!

Do you remember, later, when I was reading how youcame in softly, timidly with a sort of hurt, haunted lookin your eyes? When I glanced up over the paper, impatient at the interruption, you hesitated at the door."What is it you want?" I snapped.

You said nothing, but ran across the room and in one tempestuous plunge threw your arms around my neckand kissed me again and again, and your small armstightened with affection that God had set blooming inyour heart and which even neglect could not wither. Andthen you were gone. Patterin' up the stairs.

Well son, it was shortly afterwards that my paperslipped from my hands and a terrible, sickening fearcame over me. Suddenly I saw myself as I really was and in my horrible selfishness I felt sick at my heart.

What had habit been doing to me? The habit ofcomplaining, finding fault and reprimanding — all ofthese were my rewards to you for being a boy. It was notthat I did not love you; it was just that I expected so muchof youth. I was measuring you by the yardstick of my own years.

And there was so much that was good, and fine andtrue in your character. You did not deserve my treatment of you, son. The little heart in you was as big as thedawn itself over the wide hills. All of this was shown by your spontaneous impulse to rush in and kiss me goodnight. Nothing else matters tonight, son. I havecome to your beside in the darkness, and I have kneltthere, choking with emotion and so ashamed.

It is a feeble atonement, for I know you would notunderstand these things if I told them to you in yourwaking hours, yet I must say what I am saying. I mustburn sacrificial fires alone here at your bedside andmake full confession.

And I have prayed for God to strengthen me in my newresolve. Tomorrow I will be a real daddy! I will chumwith you and suffer when you suffer and laugh when you laugh. I will bit my tongue when impatient words come.I will keep saying as if it were a ritual: He is just a boy

— a little boy.

I am afraid I have visualized you as a man. Yet, I see you now, son, crumpled and weary in your bed. I see thatyou are still a baby. Yesterday you were in your mother'sarms; your head on her shoulder. I have asked too much,too much.

Dear boy! Dear little son! A penitent kneels at yourinfant shrine here in the moonlight. I kiss the littlefingers and the damp forehead; and if it were not forwaking you up, I would snatch you up and crush you tomy breast. I love you son, I really do love you. ..."

* * * *

God help me to slow down; to take a renewed look atmy priorities; to not expect too much too soon; to not bea constant fault-finder and impatient perfectionist and most of all, GOD HELP ME TO LOVE MY KIDS!

LETTING UP ON THE ACCELERATION

We all must continually evaluate ourselves to see ifour faith is as it ought to be (2 Cor. 13:5). We shouldconstantly ask "Is my faith sound" (Tit. 1:13)? Faith islike the human body — it has a bill of health. It can behealthy and strong or it can be sick and weak.

I think I see a problem (to say the least it is a danger)of some of the older Christians loosing some of theirconviction. Rest assured, that this could happen to anyone (Heb. 3:12). It could develop to the point that we loose all our faith. The problem I see is not true of all oreven most of those who have slightly passed the middle-age bracket. While we are addressing the older membersof the church in this article, let this alarm serve as a warning to the younger to strive to avoid the samepitfalls.

It is sad anytime one's faith is not what it ought to be.When I see a younger person whose faith is not strong,I am saddened, yet, I think that there is hope for somegrowth. It is sadder when I see an older person whosefaith is weak and has never been strong at all. It is sadbecause it is getting a little late for him to grow to thepoint that he could have. It is even sadder when I see anolder person whose faith was once strong, but now hasweakened and mellowed with time. He now tolerates things that he didn't before.

The real danger is when we don't see it happening tous. Let us not forget that apostasy is gradual. It doesn'tcome overnight. It could happen to us before we everrealize we have moved at all. The Hebrew writer urged that we "give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip"(Heb. 2:1). The KJV footnote suggest that "let them slip"could be translated "run out as leaking vessels." Wecould loose our faith drop by drop. It is very possible thatmany of the ones being addressed will read and thinkthat it doesn't apply to them.The problem we are describing is when those older in thefaith begin to let up on the acceleration of their faith.

Some Reminders About Faith

1. What faith is. "Now faith is the substance of thingshoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1)."Substance" suggest that which stands under and supports our hope. "Evidence" suggest the assurance ofDivine reality. Thus, faith gives us our standing ground.The problem we are discussing is when that ground begins to break and soften beneath us and it is no longerfirm.

1. The source of faith. Our faith is gained by feedingupon the word of God. Paul said, "So then faith comethby hearing, and hearing the word of God" (Rom. 10:17)The same writer begins his great essay on being "soundin the faith" (the book of Titus) by telling us that thesource of sound faith is the sound doctrine that was revealed to and preached by the apostles (Tit. 1:1-4).Faith must be founded upon that which is written in therevelation of God (2 Cor. 4:13).
2. There are varying degrees of faith. The Bible speaks of great faith (Matt. 8:10), little faith (Matt. 6:30; 8:26), weak faith (Rom. 4:19), dead faith (Jas. 2:20, 26) and working faith (Gal. 5:6). Even the devils and the children of the devil believe (Jas. 2:19; John 8:31, 44).This simply shows that I could have faith and still notnecessarily be what I ought to be. In connection with theproblem we have described, one could easily say that hestill has his faith, but it could be a weaker and smallerfaith.

Faith Must Grow

When we obey the gospel we are then babes in Christand our faith is weak. The rest of our lives is a process ofgrowing and maturing in the faith.

1. Growth is a continual process. We do not growfor a little while and then stop at a state of maturity. No matter how long you have been a Christian or how strongyour faith may be, God expects you to continue to grow.Peter said that we are to grow as newborn babes (1 Pet.2:1). It is not just babes that need to grow, but we mustcontinually grow as babes do. Paul thanked God for the Thessalonians because "your faith groweth exceedingly"(2Thess. 1:3).
2. Faith doesn't stand still—it is always moving.Your faith is either increasing or decreasing. You cannotreach a point and stop growing and expect your faith toremain the same. The Hebrews were rebuked for lettingtheir faith fall back. They needed to be taught again the very things they had known before (Heb. 5:11-14). Whenthey stopped growing, their faith decreased. It is likedriving your car uphill. If you let up on the acceleration,you will finally start rolling back down the hill.

Causes

1. A general resisting of change. When people are young they realize that their situations are not permanent, therefore, there will be many changes. Not onlydoes he accept that fact, but he works toward improvement. He works toward the day he will be married, havechildren, have a better job, be able to buy a house of hisown and drive a much nicer car. He expects his whole lifeto be changing. So, it is no problem for his to see that his faith must be growing and increasing as well.

When he gets older he begins to get comfortable withthe way things are. With some who are older, any type ofchange is hard. The older they get, the less they like theidea of change. So, their faith receives the same kind oftreatment. Some of the Israelites had become so accustomed to Egypt that the idea of the journey in thewilderness wasn't so welcomed. Some thought it mighthave been better to have remained in Egypt.

2. Focusing on the immediate life rather thanthe real objective. Moses instructed the Israelites to

make the knowledge of God and service unto him thevery foundation of life. (Deut. 6:6-9). God placed man onearth to serve and worship him (Ecc. 12:13). It is sadindeed when one reaches the very years that ought to bethe most useful in the kingdom, that he or she sets back to merely enjoy life with ease and get involved in otheractivities besides the work of the Lord. It is in the older years that one should have the maturity of knowledge,wisdom and respect. All of that coupled with retirementshould provide the best opportunities of their life.

3. Living in the glow of yesterday, rather than in the challenge of tomorrow. Again, when one isyoung he is reaching and pushing for greater things(more money, a better house, a better career and a greater faith). The young ever sees the challenge before him. However, as one reaches the senior citizen years the challenge is not as great. He has nowattained to a level of stability. He is retired. The job ofraising the kids is over. He finds himself looking backover what he has done, rather than what he can do.The tendency is to view faith and service to God thesame way. He takes pride in all the great things he hasaccomplished in the service to God in years past. He has fought the battles and he thinks they are over. Someview the institutional battle as the battle of the church. So, they think, we've fought it — we won — let's relax

— there's nothing else to do.

After the death of Moses God told Joshua that there was no time to relax, but that the people need to pulltogether and press on. It's not over yet (Josh. 1:6-ll)!

4. Letting up in Bible study and search foranswers. When he was a babe, he studied constantly.He searched diligently for answers to difficult passagesand questions that others would raise. He wanted toknow the answers. Now, in his older years he let's up justa little in serious Bible study. He is not quite as eager ashe once was to find those answers. Let us not forget thatwe all must continually grow in knowledge (2 Pet. 1:5;3:18).

(To be continued)

Some months ago I was asked to present a lesson onReincarnation. My first thoughts were "why here inAmerica?" If I were going to India, China or anywhere inthe East, I could see the need. I had not the faintest idea how successfully Eastern religions had invaded Western thinking. The result of a little research was a matter ofgreat astonishment to me. I soon learned that the saying, "East is East and West is West and Never the TwainShall Meet," is long out of date. Eastern religions are a definite part of Western thinking.

How Widespread?

Just how widespread and popular is the teaching ofreincarnation? According to a 1982 Gallop poll, 23 percent of Americans or about one in four accept reincarnation as fact. More alarming is the fact that among youngAmericans 30 and under, 30 percent believe this doctrine. About 17 percent of those who claim to attendchurch regularly believe in reincarnation. Statistics reveal that 21 percent of the "Protestant" population and 25 percent of the Catholic population accept reincarnation.1 In view of these alarming figures, it seems to me thatour work is cut out for us. We can not afford to try tobrush this aside as too ridiculous to bother with it. While we try to laugh it off, thousands are daily being made converts to this and other phases of Eastern religions.

Why the Sudden Popularity?

Since World War II, there has been a growing interestin Eastern religions in this country. The so-called "sacred writings" of Buddhism, and Hinduism have beentranslated and distributed widely in paperback formhere in America. In many instances they are placed inmotel rooms as well as other public places. So the textbooks of Eastern religions are in the hands of thereading public. They are there in many forms other than those official books. Many of the best sellers are promoters of various forms of Eastern religion.

We have had several generations of glorification ofmaterialism, with the resultant failure to find any realsatisfaction from such. This along with the religious,social, and secular revolts against authority have laidthe groundwork for acceptance of anything that stripsaway authority from the proper source, and places itwithin the individual himself. These movements which deify man and make a god of self, are finding ready acceptance in the Western world.

When men turn from the truth, they invariably turn to fables (2 Tim. 4:4). Our society is obsessed withoccultism and anything that is supposed to be hidden knowledge. The psychics, modern self-proclaimed prophets, Graphologists, Numerologists, etc. never hada more fertile field in which to do their deceptive work.No person in the past 25 years has done so much tospread the doctrine of reincarnation, as has ShirleyMac Lain. Two books written by her, Out On A Limb, and Dancing In The Light, have enjoyed enormouspopularity. These books along with her television appearances and seminars have caused multitudes to come to believe reincarnation is a proven fact.

Reincarnation Defined

"Reincarnation" comes from the Latin re, which means again and incarnere, which comes from two otherLatin words, in and caro-"in flesh." Hence, it literally means a coming again in the flesh. We keep recycling from one life to another. Whatever, and whenever the"soul" originates according to reincarnationist, it evolves generally from the lower to a higher state.However, one of the most down played features of thedoctrine is that according to Hindu version of reincarnation one just may devolve and return here as a rock,mineral, tree, or cockroach. Now, that thought doesn'tmeet with too much appeal to Western audiences, and therefore this possibility is just not mentioned. Therefore, in the Western cultures, the advocates of reincarnation follow the general line of "Biological Evolution."They contend that the soul evolves through many, perhaps thousands of lives until it finally arrives at a unionwith Divine Essence. In other words, we keep comingback until we finally get it right. There will be nofailures. Hell, in the Bible is just a hypothetical threat,it doesn't exist.2

Everyone will eventually, by living many lives, workoff his "karmic" debt.

What is Karma?

"Karma" literally means "doing, deeds, action, work."Through the process of time the term had come to meanboth the action and the fruit of the action. Simply stated,Karma is an impersonal force in the universe that causesone to build up credits and debits through his behavior.We therefore determine the quality and status in thenext reincarnation by our actions in this incarnation. Ifwe do bad this time, then the next time around we sufferfor it. If we do excellent in this life, then we will beelevated in the next. So Karma, that impersonal judge sees to it that perfect God, overseeing creation, by someimpersonal process that operates with the precision of acomputer, never making a mistake. Reincarnationistsoften declare that this is exactly what the Bible teaches,"you reap what you sow." But, no, this is not to beconfused with the Bible teaching. In Christ, we reap benefits far beyond what we deserve, Lk. 17:10. Forgiveness of sins is not a matter of our deserving, even thoughwe receive it conditionally.

What is Nirva?

Just what this term embraces, the reincarnationiststhemselves are not in agreement. And yet this is what itis all about. With some it means reaching "external extinction", while with others it means attaining oneness with the universe. Still others define it as finally paying off your karmic debt to be liberated from thisworld purgatory, so as to reach the ultimate and go intonon-existence. Some hope, I'd say. The Edgar Caycemodel describes it as reaching "God conscientiousness." (More on Edgar Cayce later).

In our next installment, we will consider how reincarnationist misuse the Bible in an effort to bolster their position. We shall call attention to the fact that onecannot believe both the Bible and the doctrine of reincarnation. Those who embrace a false concept such as the one under review must face up to some inevitable consequences of the same. Some of these we will notice in the concluding article.

Footnotes 1 Geisley and Amano, The Reincarnation Sensation, (Tyndall House Publishers, Inc., 1986), p. 7, 8.2Ibid, p. 123.

DISFELLOWSHEPING BRETHREN

QUESTION: Is it scriptural to disfellowship abrother or sister for leaving a local church of the Lord to join any denominational church or go back into the world?

ANSWER: Paul wrote, "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that yewithdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us" (2 Thess. 3:6). When a brother or sister refuses to live right, he or she needs to be disfellowshiped. Ofcourse, there are situations where good judgment, itseems to me, requires only a public statement by theelders to the church that so and so is no longer a memberof this congregation, and give the reason(s) why.

Sometimes members quit the Lord and move out oftown. Nobody knows there they are. (Parenthetically, ifwe had established a closer relationship with them, and had shown more interest in such brethren, some of themmight have been influenced to live faithful whereverthey were. Too many times, weeks, yea, months go bybefore any inquiry is made about their whereabouts.Then, a year later or longer, a congregation decides towithdraw. There is no longer any relationship with any member, or we don't even know where they are now living. To call such action Bible discipline is a sham!)From what is a church to withdraw? How can there be a disfellowshiping when there can be no fellowship?

When there is, or can be, social communication orassociation, even though the brother or sister has quitattending the services, the church must withdraw and keep no company with such individuals until there isrepentance. This is true, even to those who have joinedthemselves to some denominational church (Cf. 1 Cor.5:9-13; 2 Thess. 3:6,14,15; Rom. 16:17-18; Tit. 3:10).

The Bible teaches that there are three classes of people who are eligible for marriage. One class would bethose who have never been married. God's will from the beginning was, "For this cause shall a man leave hisfather and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh" (Matt. 19:4, 5). A secondcategory would be those whose spouses have died. Paulsaid, "For the woman that hath a husband is bound bylaw to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband. Sothen if, while the husband liveth, she be joined toanother man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if thehusband die, she is free from the law, so that she is noadulteress, though she be joined to another man" (Romans 7:3, 4). The third category is those who haveput away their spouses for fornication. Jesus said, "AndI say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife,except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is putaway committeth adultery" (Matthew 19:9). These, andonly these are eligible to marry. No other persons havethe scriptural right to marry.

Just here we need to notice the binding nature ofmarriage. Sometimes people reason that divorce is notwrong, so long as one does not remarry. My friend, if onedivorces his mate for any cause other than fornication,he has sinned whether he ever remarries or not. One is not cleaving to his spouse, he has put asunder what God joined together, one puts his divorced mate in the position of likely committing adultery (Matt. 5:32), one is notloving his spouse (Eph. 5:23-25), 1 Corinthians 7:3-4regarding rendering due benevolence is violated, andone has disobeyed the charge the Lord gives unto themarried that they not leave their spouse (1 Cor. 7:10-12).Now when one puts himself in that position, or when one is put away, what is his status?

In the first place, if one has put away his spouse forany cause other then fornication, he is not in a positionto choose to marry. If one is the "put-away" party in adivorce, he is not scripturally qualified to select anothercompanion. For these persons, another marriage withany one (with the exception of being reconciled to one'sspouse, 1 Cor. 7:11), is simply not an option that theyhave!

But how do divorced (unscripturally) persons stand inregard to such activities as dating? Actually, an understanding of who is scripturally eligible to marry helps usto see who is eligible to date. Now it is obvious that thosewhom we saw are scripturally free to marry are also free to date. But what of those who are not eligible to marry.The Bible's answer is that such are to "remain unmarried?" Of course this means that one cannot contract another marriage. But we are raising a practical question in asking, "Is one who is ineligible to marry in aposition to date?" What if one reasons, "I know I can'tremarry, but we're just friends." Or, "I don't ever plan tomarry again, but I need companionship, and I just takeher out to have some one to talk to?"

Actually, those who reason in this manner are usuallyjust deceiving themselves. Have you ever noticed thatwe usually end up marrying someone whom we havedated? The dangers ought to be apparent. One who datesa person who is ineligible for marriage is truly "playingwith fire." The chances are good that he will end up in anunscriptural marriage.

But what if they do not ever marry? Does the datingof divorced persons meet with God's approval? We again insist that when we see from the Scriptures who iseligible to marry, we have defined for us who is eligibleto date. Persons eligible to marry are free to be together,talk, court and plan (of course with all activities conforming to God's standard of morals and purity, etc.)because they are in a position to follow through on thefruition of courtship; their relationship may culminatein marriage if they so choose. On the other hand, whenwe see defined from Scripture those who are not eligibleto marry, we have also at the same time learned who isnot eligible to date. If one is not free to marry, he is noteligible to date!

Sometimes one who is himself free to marry will beattached to one who is ineligible. Before long, the twomay agree to go on outings of various kinds together. Aman needs to recognize that when he is with a woman who has divorced her spouse for any cause other thanfornication, or one who has been divorced, he is withanother man's wife. The woman (who is free to marry)who accepts the invitation to go somewhere or do something with a divorced man (i.e. dating), needs to recognize that she is with someone else's husband.

This truth can be seen clearly enough if we areconsidering a married couple, two who are living in themarriage relationship and are not divorced. While onemay have friends of the opposite gender, married Christians recognize that they are not in a position to datethose friends (and of course do not want to). But why would that be wrong? Because they are married, theyare not eligible to date. A Christian husband does not, forexample, reason, "My wife cannot go with me to the Gospel Meeting tonight, so I will go by a friend's (female)house, and take her with me, for companionship, ofcourse." The very same principle is involved when a divorced person is dating, and going on outings, etc. Theone who accompanies him is with someone else's spouse.Therefore, an unscripturally divorced person may notdate for the same reason that a married person may notdate. Neither is free to do so; both are ineligible to do so!

While one hopefully has many friends, a spouse whoseeks to please God recognizes that there are boundswhich he must not cross. A Christian spouse does nottake a friend of the opposite sex for an all-day trip to

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Birmingham, and arrive back home late in the evening.The issue is not one of whether he may have friends, butone of that conduct in which he may properly (before God) engage. One who is himself free to marry cannot(with God's approval) put himself in the above type ofsituations with divorced persons, because they are not free.

If the idea persists, "I still don't see anything wrongwith divorced persons dating," we would ask, "Is it possible for it to become wrong at any point short of anadulterous marriage, and if so, at what point?" Is it rightif the relationship is "casual", but wrong if it is "serious"?If so, how serious does it have to become — would it besteady dating, or engagement, before it became wrong?I believe the relationship becomes wrong when it starts,just as the same relationship would be wrong for married persons.

It would perhaps be appropriate here to also giveattention to the "singles" seminars, rallies, classes, etc.While nothing is intrinsically wrong with special studiesfor singles, we object to the church's providing opportunities for persons to find companions, with no regard asto whether or not they are eligible for marriage. Just thispast week I received a brochure for a "Single Adult Rally"to be held in September in Atlanta. Topics listed included, "Laying Bricks or Throwing Stones", "Singles,Sex and Sanity", "Single Parenting—Building a Christian Foundation", "Single Again — Success or Survival","Building Success as a Single Woman", and "The BodyBeautiful." To be fair, the topics are not necessarilywrong in themselves. But one wonders just what would be taught in that setting on those subjects. But consideralso what is not listed. Keep in mind that this "rally" willinclude those who are "single-again" without distinctionas to why one is single again (i.e., regardless of whetheror not one has a scriptural divorce). Yet the listing oftopics does not include, "A Discussion of Matthew 19:9",or "What the Bible Teaches Regarding Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage", or "It Is Not Lawful For Thee ToHave Her." To the extent that such programs for singlesinvolve a compromise of truth regarding God's marriagelaw we stand opposed to them. To the extent that theyprovide opportunities for "companionship" and datingfor those who are not scripturally free to marry, they are in violation of the Word of God.

If you are free to marry, you still have to make somechoices regarding whom you will date. Restrict yourdating to those who are eligible to marry. Don't date anybody that is not a proper subject for marriage. Wewould encourage you to be a faithful Christian and marry a faithful Christian. If you are divorced (unscripturally) you need to recognize your standing: If you are not free to marry, you are not free to date!

WHEN TO BE SILENT

Solomon advises us that there is "a time to keep silence; and a time to speak" (Eccl. 3:7).

The words we speak are of tremendous importance.They shall have momentous consequences in time andeternity. Our Lord tells us that they reflect the health ofour souls. It is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34). Men shall give account forevery idle word (verse 35). This does not condemn innocent humor or small talk. The idle words are portrayedin the context. The Pharisees who said, This fellow doesnot cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons" (verse 24), were guilty of such idle talk.

"For by your words you will be justified, and by yourwords you will be condemned" (verse 37), concluded the Lord.

How very crucial then are the words we speak!

James speaks of the tongue as a fire: "See how greata forest a little fire kindles!" (5:5, 6). "Where there issmoke, there is fire," we are told. But sometimes the fireis on the end of someone's long tongue!

James continues to describe the tongue as a beast thatcannot be completely tamed. Oh, don't turn that wild thing loose on me! What havoc this poisonous viper doesrender!

Is it any wonder that David vowed to restrain hismouth with a muzzle while the wicked were before him" (Psalm 39:1)?

There is a time to be silent. "Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, heis considered perceptive" (Prov. 17:18). Even when silence is not perceived as wisdom, it has been said that itis better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speakand remove all doubt.

My Dad used to tell me to not argue with fools, for bystanders would not be able to tell who the fool was. I've violated that principle too many times.

A man met a friend whom he had not seen for a longwhile. "How is your wife?" he inquired."I thought you knew. She went to heaven," came thereply.

"Oh," he countered. "I'm sorry."

That didn't sound right, so after an awkward silence he said, "I mean I'm glad."

That was certainly no improvement and in desperation he tried again: "What I guess I really mean," heblurted, "is that I'm surprised!"

Often its better to be silent.

Let's consider some of the times we should keepsilence.

1. We should be silent when angry. "He who is quick-tempered acts foolishly" (Prov. 14:17). "Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slowto speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does notproduce the righteousness of God" (James 1:19, 20).

Some pride themselves on having a short fuse. Theyboast about "straightening so and so out"; "giving him apiece of their mind"; or "telling her off." If they were wise,they would be silent until they cooled off. Then if something must be said, they would speak prudently as aChristian ought to.

2. We should be silent when we do not know all the facts. "He who answers a matter before he hears it,it is folly and shame to him" (Prov. 18:13). "The first oneto plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comesand examines him" (Prov. 18:17).

Our judicial system is supposedly based on the concept of hearing all the evidence before a verdict isrendered. It often doesn't work that way because ofloopholes and technicalities, but such is as it should be.

One prospective juror was asked if he believed incapital punishment.

"Generally, no," he replied. "But in this case, yes,"

At the bottom of most gossip, whispering, and back

biting, is someone who does not have all the facts. Onelady is reported to have said, "I didn't know if it was true or not, I just repeated it to be on the safe side."

3. We should be silent when it is none of our business. "The heart knows its own bitterness, and astranger does not share its joy" (Prov. 14:10).

How often would the Lord say to us as He did to Peter,"What is that to you?" (John 21:22).

It may be that a matter is our business. Perhaps it isa problem within the church of which one is a part. If so,let him speak. But let him speak in the right way and tothose who may help correct the situation.

The disciples in Jerusalem who were murmuring overthe neglect of their widows (Acts 6:1) did not accomplish anything. I wonder how long the murmuring and grumbling went on before someone approached the apostleswith the issue and it was corrected.

If someone is living in sin, such should be yourbusiness. But go and talk with him in the proper spirit(Gal. 6:1) If one is not willing to do this, he should besilent about it.

4. We should be silent when our words would destroy a friendship. "A perverse man sows strife, anda whisperer separates the best of friends" (Prov. 16:18).

One can easily think of exceptions when one ought tospeak even if a friendship is at stake. But this passage is referring to words that ought never be spoken.

Most everybody says things, even about friends, thatthey would not want to get back to those friends. A goodrule to follow: don't say such things. They will usually getback.

Another good rule is this: If you are advised of something that someone has said about you, don't take it tooseriously. "Also do not take to heart everything people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. For many times, also, your own heart has known that even you have cursed others" (Eccl. 7:21, 22).

Doesn't it make you feel good when someone has saidsomething good about you and you are told about it? The "Golden Rule" would suggest then that we should sospeak of others that if anything "gets back," it will besomething good.

5. We should be silent when our words would destroy a reputation. "An ungodly man digsup evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire" (Prov.16:27).

Again, there are obvious times that we would beobligated to speak even if we ruined someone's reputation. But most of the time we should be silent.

Even if we know a matter to be true, this does notmean we should repeat it. We should ask: Is it kind? Andthen, is it necessary? And perhaps will it help?

6. We should be silent when we have said it many times before."... the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping" (Prov. 19:13).

A constant drip, drip, drip, is impossible to get used to.You will grow accustomed to living next to a R R track,but a leaky roof, or faucet, is a constant irritation.

So it is with someone who nags. We can understandwhy Solomon would speak of a nagging wife. But manyhusbands are equally guilty of nagging. And manyparents nag their children constantly.

Perhaps it is time to stop and ask: Is this getting thejob done? Is it productive or counterproductive?Nagging just makes the situation worse. It's better to be silent.

7. We should be silent when it is time to listen. "A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a scofferdoes not listen to rebuke" (Prov. 13:1).

We are to be swift to hear and slow to speak (Jas. 1:19).It has never occurred to some folks that God may havehad a reason in giving us two ears and just one mouth.Furthermore, He gave a mouth that closes and ears thatdon't.

We can never be good counselors if we are not willingto be silent and listen. We cannot teach the gospel if we are unwilling to listen. Sometimes we may feel we haveanswered a religious argument when, in fact, we havenot understood the argument because we failed to listen.

In meetings all over the country, I see young folks inthe audience generally on the back row, who don't know that when it is a time to listen, it is a time to be silent.Surely we are doing our children a disservice if we do not teach them this from a very early age.

8. We should be silent when it is time to work. "In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only topoverty" (Proverbs 14:23). There are many who talk a good game. They talk the Bible and religion. They talkup the need for good classes and more personal work.

But don't count on them when it comes to getting thejob done. They are all talk and no work.

Jesus said, "I must work the works of Him who sentMe while it is day; the night is coming when no one canwork" (John 9:4).

There is a time when we need to quit talking and startworking.Indeed, there are many times when we need to keep

silent. Next time we shall consider some times when we ought to speak.

"CUT OFF OCCASION"

"But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut offoccasion from them which desire occasion." (2 Cor. 11:12).

The life and teachings of the apostle Paul are inharmony with the above principle. He was willing toforego personal privilege if it would help a weak brother(1 Cor. 8:13). He did not always exercise his power to"live of the gospel" when he thought that course was bestfor the gospel (1 Cor. 9:12). In the collection and distribution of funds for needy saints, he was "Avoiding this,that no man should blame us ..." (2 Cor. 8:20).

In spite of all this, and no matter how hard we try, wemay not always succeed in keeping others from makingaccusations or doing wrong. Paul followed the advice ofJames and the elders at Jerusalem in order to "cut off occasion" from the Jews, but the effort was unsuccessful(Acts21:20ff).

Yet, even when others are determined to pursue a contrary course, we should be more determined not togive them occasion, or excuse. Let them find their own excuse, and bear their own guilt.

If the foregoing principle is good in matters of personal liberty or judgment, how much more in matterswhich are legislated, and where there is no room forexpediency?

Singing

The singing of "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs"in worship to God is not a matter of personal liberty, forsuch is enjoined upon the saints not only as an act ofworship, but as an act of edification (Col. 3:16).

When this singing is not the best thing that it could be,and even becomes downright deplorable, we start looking for occasion to improve it. One may suggest newbooks, another may suggest a new leader, or someoneelse may suggest a choir or the addition of some mechanical instrument.

In my forty-four years in the church, I have watchedthe gradual deterioration of singing in churches ofChrist. When I began to preach, singing schools werecommon among the congregations. I have tried to encourage brethren to cultivate their singing, and a few congregations still place emphasis on this part of theworship, but many are negligent and careless. One brother who devoted much of his life to conductingsinging schools finally ceased his efforts because brethren either quit scheduling such schools, or wouldn't attend them.

Brethren, in order to take away occasion from those who would try to improve upon God's arrangement formusic in the church, let us give singing the attention itdeserves.

The Home

Churches are rapidly taking over the duties and privileges of the home. The home is a divine institution, andwas fulfilling its mission long before the church wasestablished. There is a difference between the work and mission of the church, and that of the home. Christ knew it, and any Bible student ought to know it.

Congregations have taken over hospitality, recreation, entertainment, and a lot of other functions which belong to the home. "Family Life Centers" and "Fellowship Halls" are the order of the day for many churches. Itmay be that we have given these social gospel advocatesan occasion to peddle their wares.

We need to "use hospitality one to another" (1 Pet. 4:9),and not just once or twice a year when the visitingpreacher comes. Even these remote occasions are beingcharacterized by less and less hospitality.

We need to open up our homes to one another, to theelderly, the middle-aged, and to the young. We need moreget-togethers, social functions which are properly home-related. Parents need to accept their God-given dutiesand privileges instead of looking for occasion to pass suchoff on society or the church.

Then maybe, just maybe, within a generation or twowe can capitalize on the distinct advantages of individualand collective duties, and not only fit the home and the church for their respective roles, but reap the rewards ofthis divine arrangement.At the least, we can "cut off occasion" from those who seem determined to supplant the home entirely, and weaken the spiritual mission of the church.

"Do Good"

While this next suggestion belongs in the realm of the home, or personal activity, it still needs to be emphasizedby itself.

The practice of "doing good" is not confined to benevolence. We need to seek out opportunities to do good bothtoward those who are of "the household of faith" and those who are not (Gal. 6:10). Our reaping in this areawill be in direct proportion to our sowing.

The Bible teaches that "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). One reason that this is true isbecause such giving often gets the giver personally involved.

One area of responsibility and opportunity has beenvirtually taken over by our "Bus Ministry" and its attendant ramifications of reward motivation and other appeals to the flesh.

We need to personally invite people to meetings (both saints and non-saints), offer to provide transportation,talk with them about the scriptures "by the way" (Lk.24:32), take food to them or invite them into your homeor to a restaurant for a meal. Look diligently for otherways to get personally involved in doing good to others,and thereby blessing yourself.

Like Paul, we may not stop some people from doing and saying things which they ought not, but they will

have to look elsewhere for excuses if we "cut off occasion from them which desire occasion." An added reward is that we will stand justified beforeGod, while those who seek such occasions will not.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE TEMPLE

Emotionalism in Religion — Part 1

We are living in an emotional time. The well wornbumper sticker says "If it feels good do it." Eleven yearsago Debbie Boone sang, "How can it be wrong, if it feelsso right?" All of this is to say that we are a people that aregoverned by our emotions more than we are by ourintellect all too often. The murder of six million Jews felt so right to many people. Joseph Stalin murdered 22 million human beings and it obviously felt right to him.Even our doctors of theology are now telling us that truthis relative so there is no absolute standard.

Society has taken different positions on emotions overthe passing of time. American Gothic was significant ofan era when one did not express any emotion. In the home the father was a marble statue and the mother could not smile because her corset was too tight. But ifa past generation has been on one extreme our generation has been on the other. We have come to live by thevicissitudes of our feelings. Reason is now dominated byour feelings; rather than our feelings dominated by ourreason. We are missing one basic premise that is causinghomes to be destroyed, churches to slip and multitudesto go into religious error. That premise is, EMOTIONS MUST ALWAYS BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE FACULTIES OF THE HUMAN WILL AND REASON.

When our emotions tell us one thing it is almostimpossible for the mind to accept a fact no matter how plain or obvious it might be. When feelings of inferioritycause a person to feel worthless and hopeless it is almostimpossible to make that person believe that God loveshim. No matter how many passages one might read ifthey have deep seated inferiority feelings the objectivetruth will mean little to them. Why? They FEEL unworthy of God's love. Emotions are like a strong river. Theyhave the potential of overflowing their banks and it isour responsibility to keep them within their boundaries.

The desire for emotions in religion is not new. Paulspeaking about a very emotional middle eastern peoplesaid in 1 Cor. 1:22. "The Jew sought for a SIGN..." Whatthe Greek world wanted was wisdom for the intellectual side of man but what the Jew wanted was an EXPERI

ENCE. Think of the experiences that the Jew had beena party to in his history. The parting of the Red Sea hadto be a great emotional experience. Think what is musthave been like to have been paralyzed with fear as the army of Pharaoh came pressing down on the peoplewhile they were hemmed in by the Red Sea. Then to see Moses' rod become the Rod of God and the sea openedand they walked through while Pharaoh drowned. Thatwas an emotional experience! What about the giving ofthe Law at Mt. Sinai? What about the day the sun stoodstill for Joshua? These and hundreds more created a history of bone chilling, spine tingling, and hair raisingexperiences for the nation of Israel. As the Hebrew writer talks about the giving of the Law in Heb. 12:21 you see emotional words like "full of fear and trembling."The Jew was looking for an emotional high in his religion.

How then are we to respond to the nature of ouremotional society on one hand and the natural inclination of man to want an emotional religion on the otherhand? To answer this question we must ask anotherquestion. How reliable are our emotions anyway? Howgood are we at deciphering the truth by our senses in the first place?

John tells us in 1 John 4:1 -4, "believe not every spirit,but try the spirits." Why? Because he tells us that thereare many false spirits that are not from God. This isdirectly parallel to what Paul told the Corinthians in 2Cor 11:13, about "false apostles who are deceitful workers." He said that there is no wonder that these false apostles deceive everyone so well because the devilhimself is disguised as an angel of light. The real hardball issue of truth is that we do not do very well discerning truth from error. And when we only use part of ourbeing, the emotional part, we do very poorly and Satan takes advantage of that everyday.

Look at one man who had a very emotional experience and did not do very well discerning the truth and it costhim a lifetime of grief. Gen. 37:33-35 finds the jealousbrothers of Joseph selling their younger brother intoslavery. They take his coat and dip it in blood and showit to their father and let him draw his own emotional conclusion. "My son is dead." "Surely Joseph has beentorn to pieces ... so Jacob tore his clothes and put onsackcloth and mourned for many days." His grief was sobad that he refused to be comforted. "I will go down tosheol in mourning for my son."

The question we want to ask is this, "should Jacob have trusted his emotions?" For years he lived in grieffeeling that his son was dead. He wept over a lie. Thosefeelings were not based on fact. Because Satan is so good at deceiving us and because we are so easily deceived itdoes not behoove us to be content to follow what we are feeling. For the sake of our soul in eternity we need tobuild what we believe on objective, verifiable scripture that we can see and know it comes from the mind of God.

Notice the importance that the apostle Peter places onverifiable scripture from God as opposed to what he had witnessed first hand on the Mount of Transfiguration. In2 Peter 1:16-18, Peter talks about an experience that noPentecostal could match. He saw the Son of God transfigured into His glory right before his very eyes. It wassuch a life changing experience that he blurted out, "letus build three tabernacles..." What an experience! To beone of only three people in the history of mankind to seesomething like this certainly will mark you for life. Butwhen Peter was making a defense that what he waswriting to them was true he said, "We have not followedcunningly devised fables, but ..." He did not hang thetruth of his message on the experience of what he saw,but rather on the "more sure word of prophecy that tookplace when the prophets spoke as they were carried alongby the power of the spirit. To most people what could bebetter evidence that what he had experienced? Peterargued in this text that what the prophets said was in factbetter evidence than what he had seen and heard! If that experience which was a very emotional experience wasnot good enough for Peter how could we be satisfied withso much less in the weight of the experience itself?

One of the greatest dangers in the world of religion isthat of emotional subjectivism. One person says, "theLord told me this..." and another says "the Lord told methat..." And we don't know who to believe because theyboth conflict. Too many believe because of what theyperceive as private inside information. If private insideinformation is our standard in religion then whose feelings do we trust? Whose feelings and experiences aredependable? Whose emotions are leading us correctly? This attitude toward religious authority had caused aworld of religion anarchy? This is the message that needsto be preached to the Pentecostal world.

In our next article we will deal with the question of"Why is this emotionalism so much a part of the Pentecostal religion?"

15 Feb. 1988, p. 94). Many parents are asking, "Why can't we keep our children from drinking?" The Timearticle—"When Parents Just Say No" — says "the job ofprotecting teenagers would be far easier if no-boozeattitudes were established early on, and if they werebolstered in the schools. But the primary responsibilitywill always lie with parents." Ah, we the parents! Thatis where the root of the problem is. Not every time, butvery often.

How are parents the problem? 1. Parents who drinkare hypocrites when they tell their children not to drink.There is no moral authority and no fitting example insuch a stance. It will not do to argue that drinkingalcohol is an "adult privilege." That argument obscuresthe fact that ALCOHOL IS A DRUG. Is it a moral privilege to drug the mind? If it is an adult privilege anda moral right for an adult to drug the mind with alcohol,why not with cocaine or any other drug? Is it a moral privilege to do one but not the other — and that one, theright of adulthood? Parents can deceive themselves withsuch double talk and nonsense, but young people are tooperceptive to find any moral force in such an approach.

2. Parents are the problem when they pretend theycan "teach their children how to drink responsibly." Howdoes a person drug his mind "responsibly" and "safely"for the fun of it? Such an act is neither responsible norsafe — ever. "I know parents who think nothing ofbuying a keg and having a party with the kids in thebackyard," says a high school principal. Fathers who"share a beer" with their sons had just as well share a joint of marijuana or a snort of cocaine with them.

There is no morally defensible way to "supervise"drugging the mind for social and recreational purposes.Is man with his mental and moral faculties a mere animal to be toyed with and experimented with in sucha fashion?

3. Permissive parents are afraid to say, "No," even when they disapprove. They are looking for a compromise and are skirting the real duties of a parent. True love requires that we draw firm lines between right andwrong, that we take the time to give instruction andexplanation as well as rules, and that we follow up withbalanced discipline when necessary. Such duties can behard and painful, but we brought these children into theworld and they have a God-given right to parental guidance. We drew firm lines, explained why, and exercised discipline to teach them to stay out of the trafficwhen playing. We can and must go through the sameprocess to teach them not to drug their minds withalcohol. When parents just say, "No," to some things,they show how much they love their children. Downdeep, the children know it. They also know when thatdegree of love is missing.

Parents, especially fathers, are responsible to raisetheir children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4). To teach our children the dangers ofalcohol and other drugs, let us begin by explaining thatGod created us all. All that we have and are — body,mind, and soul — belong to God for His service. God isthe origin of all love, wisdom, and blessings. We embrace Him as our ultimate guide in life. "The fear of the Lordis the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdomand instruction" (Prov. 1:7). Our children need to see that God is the source of all that is good, right, safe, andhelpful in life.

Next, we need to patiently teach our children whatGod said to warn against using alcohol, intoxicants, ordrugs as a social and recreational drink. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise" (Prov. 20:1). Let's read to our children God's description of both the attraction and thefolly of drinking (Prov. 23:29-35). Show them the progressive nature of the danger: from "banquetings" (social drinking or "drinking parties," N.A.S.), to "revellings" (intoxicated dancing, singing, shouting, etc.), to "excess of wine" (the drunken debauchery of alcoholics) — all mentioned in 1 Peter 4:3. Our children need to learn that God in His love has a good reason for warning us against intoxication: "Be sober,be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8).

One of the greatest ways we can help our children isby being faithful Christians. If we have not obeyed thegospel, we need to start by believing the gospel enough to repent of our sins, to confess Christ as God's Son, andto be immersed in water for the remission of our sins through his blood (Matt. 26:28; Acts 2:38). Then we need to be stedfast in worshiping God as members of Hischurch — we need to grow every day in His service (Acts2:42; 2 Pet. 3:18). As our children share in Bible classesand worship services, they will develop the faith tobetter understand why we just say, "No," to alcohol.

God in the beginning told our first parents to "Be fruitful and multiply in the earth" (Gen. 1:22). Children were recognized in the Bible history as blessings fromGod (Gen. 4:1; Ps. 127:3), and the inability to bearchildren was looked upon as a most unfortunate circumstance (11 Sam. 6:23; 1 Sam. 1:4-8), and was at times apunishment from God (Lev. 20:20). In the New Testament younger widows are told to marry and to bearchildren (1 Tim. 5:14). The Apostle Paul even teachesthat women "shall be saved in child-bearing" (1 Tim.2:15), not meaning that a woman must be able to bear achild in order to be saved, but that bearing children andrearing them is the most important work appointed toher by the Lord.

Most members of the Lord's church know that abortion is sinful, and they would not consider that alternative to child-bearing. But using artificial means of birth control to prevent having any children at all seems tohave gained acceptance among us. It was not so in earlierdays. Brother David Lipscomb wrote in his Commentary on First Corinthians: The habit of women preaching originated in the same hotbed with easydivorce, free love, birth control, repugnance to childbearing and child rearing." (Comments on 1 Cor. 14:34).

I know of no Scriptural principle which would forbidthe use of contraceptives for the sake of the mother's health of in order to prevent a family from having morechildren than they can support or care for. Roman Catholic doctrine, of course, forbids any use of them. Butwe must beware of going to the opposite extreme. One ofthe purposes of marriage, though not the sole one, is tobring children into the world. What right have healthy,young Christians to enjoy all other benefits of marriageand yet to refuse to accept the responsibility of bearingand rearing children? What motive, other than selfishness, would compel normal, young married couples tomake such a decision?

We might think that since the world is already well-populated it is now unnecessary to bring more childreninto the world. But there are Scriptural reasons whyfaithful Christians should desire children. One reason is that we will have the opportunity of molding theircharacters by bringing them up according to the teachings of Christ (Eph. 6:4; 11 Tim. 1:5; 3:15). We canusually have more influence over our own children then over any other human beings. If we help them to becomestrong Christians, we thus strengthen the church. Another reason why Christians should want children isin order that the men might someday become qualifiedto serve as elders in God's church (Titus 1:6). Yet anotherreason, perhaps not so important from a spiritual standpoint, is that one must have children in order to havegrandchildren, and the Bible says that "Children's children are the crown of old men" (Pr. 17:6), and we might add that they are the crown of old women as well. A decision not to have children may be regretted most inold age.

There is such a thing as natural law in spite of Roman Catholic abuse of this principle (Rom. 1:26, 27; 2:14; 1Cor. 11:14; Rom 1:31). When we deliberately choose to live our lives contrary to the course of nature, there is apenalty to be paid. At the very least, this involves afrustration and a dissatisfaction with life even when the real cause is unknown to the sufferer. To attempt todefeat or bypass nature's laws is to show contempt forGod's grand design. And that design was drawn up withour own happiness in mind.

Send all News Items to: Connie W. Adams, P.O. Box 69, Brooks, KY 40109

SCOTT VIFQUIAN, Route 6, Ford Drive, Mt. Washington, KYLincoln County near Waynesburg, KY. After a short stay there I40047 — For the past several years I have had the pleasure of workingmoved to Versailles, KY to work with the Camden Ave. church for with some of God's people in the Bluegrass State, preaching the gospel seven years. From Versailles I moved to Mt. Washington, KY inon a "full-time" basis. I started out working with the church inBullitt County to work with that church. I am thankful for the fourDanville, KY for a year. I am indebted to Royce Chandler and Kellyyears I have worked with them. Recently, I accepted an offer to workEllis for helping ground me in the faith as a young preacher.with the church in Campbellsville, KY. Lord willing, I plan to moveAfter a year in Danville, I worked with the Goochtown church in there sometime this summer. I anticipate a good work with them.

ROBERT H. WEST, 1050 Remington Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 —On June 1st, after seven and a half years here in Sunnyvale, I will be moving across town to work with the little group in Milpitas, CA,which is sandwiched between the northeast part of San Jose and the city of Fremont. From its beginning many years ago, the Milpitasgroup has identified with institutional brethren. In the last few years,however, the elders have refused to support the many brotherhoodprojects and opposed the social gospel. Some of the more liberal element there departed. The elders initiated contact with non-institutional churches and brethren in the area, recognizing that there had come to be very little difference in our convictions and practices.In September of last year, brother Homer Hailey held a meeting for them, at which time the elders made it clear publicly that theywished to be involved only in preaching truth and working as a congregation after the New Testament pattern. Brother ClydeWilson, an elder of Santa Clara congregation, preached for themfor a few months. Presently, brother Rick Amick, from Santa Clara is preaching there on Sunday mornings. Other area preachers andelders, including myself have preached and taught classes therefrom time to time. Carroll O. Smith and G. Dudley Stout are thecapable elders. They have an adequate building with several classrooms in an excellent location. Milpitas is a rapidly-growing area in"Silicon Valley" and opportunities for increase abound. Some members from various congregations who live in the area have already placed membership there and others are planning to go thereto help. My support has been assured by Sunnydale and other areachurches. F. David Moyer is now working with the Sunnydale congregation.

If you know of brethren or other folks in south Fremont, north SanJose or Milpitas whom we could contact, please let us know. The building address is 450 Wool Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035. Phone: (408)262-4646.

ERNEST ROBERTS, c/o Central Post Office — General Delivery,Roseau, Dominica, W. Indies — We have just completed our fourthyear in Dominica. We have preached in several villages and the Capital city. There are now two conservative congregations and a third one has just begun. When brother Ed Garraway moves to theCastle Bruce-Good Hope area on the east coast of the island in June,the new work will receive a boost.

Since January I have been working with the church at St. Josephapart from my work with the church at Goodwill in the Capital city.The St. Joseph brethren left the liberal church last year after reading the Dominican Exhorter and after I had some discussions with their preacher. The Exhorter is a small bi-weekly paper published byGary Henry and Steve Gwinn in the U.S. and sent to us for mailing toboth liberal and conservative brethren in Dominica. Gary Henry preached our Gospel Meeting the second week of May. Mike Vickeryof Ocean Springs, MS came with Gary.

PREACHER AVAILABLE JERRY SAYRE, Rt 7 Box 100, Seymour, IN 47274 — I am 43 yearsold. I have been preaching for 23 years. I am married and have two children, one still at home. I have been at Seymour for six years andfeel it is time to move on. I am available to move at anytime.

PREACHERS NEEDED BRADENTON, FLORIDA — The West Bradenton Church of Christ, 1619 10th Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 33505 is looking fora faithful gospel preacher.

NEW BREMEN, OHIO — The church in New Bremen, Ohio is in need of a preacher. We are a small congregation with just 24 in attendance. We are located in an area where a church has never existed before. We have been in existence for six years and have madesome good progress in the area. We need a man that can bring themajority of his support. We can provide $300 - $400 per month. Thoseinterested may contact Walt Hazelwood at (419) 629-2171 or write tohim at P.O. Box 54, New Bremen, OH 45869.

COOKEVILLE, TENNESSEE — The church meeting at JereWhitson Street is seeking a full-time, mature and experienced evangelist. We are a group of 80 or more with members of all ages. Full support is available including a three bedroom brick home. Cookevilleis rated as the least expensive place to live by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and one of the ten best small cities for retirees in the U.S. by Rand McNally. Contact Wayne Stewart, Route 4, Box 280, Cookeville, TN 38501. Phone: (615) 528-2738.

FORT BRAGG, CALIFORNIA — The congregation of 20 membersin Mendocino County on the north coast of California, seeks a sound preacher who has partial support. Interested parties may obtain moreinformation by writing to Church of Christ, P. O. Box 2, Fort Bragg,CA 95437.

ROUND LAKE BEACH, ILLINOIS — The Hainesville Rd. Church of Christ (located approximately 45 miles north of Chicago) will be needing a full-time preacher as of August of this year. This is a self-supporting congregation of 80-90 members. At the present there is no eldership. Those interested may write to: Church of Christ, 1109Hainesville Rd., Round Lake Beach, IL 60073. Call: Dick Anderson

(312) 662-8621, Don Neave (312) 367-7113, Arne Paulsen (312) 3567657 or Dale Sindt (312) 223-5102.

PORTLAND, MAINE — After two years I am returning to our homein Harrington, MB June 1st. Bruce Hudson is leaving Milbridge at the end of the school year. I will resume work with the church there. Icame to Portland when the preacher for the only conservative churchin this section defected to the institutional church in So. Portland, taking the majority of the church with him. We now have 8 members,with a few visitors who attend regularly.

Portland is the most strategic spot in the state. One fourth of theone million population of the state live in commuting distance ofPortland. There is a sound church 1 1/4 hours to the north and anotherthe same distance to the south. We need a man to move here to work with the small group. Support will have to come from outside,although we may be able to help raise it. Write to the church at P.O.Box 822, Portland, ME 04104 or call (207) 799-0720. — R. C. Smart,Sr., 18 Claries Rd., Elizabeth, ME 04107.

RADIO PROGRAM Readers on the West Coast will be interested to know that Tommy

L. McClure of Antioch, CA has a radio program called BIBLETRUTH. He can be heard on KPLA Radio (770 on AM dial) on Sundaysat 9:30 a.m. This is a 50,000 watt clear channel station.

PROJECT HELP

In the next few months PROJECT HELP will be conductingseminars in various cities throughout the U.S. PROJECT HELP is acompany formed to help preachers learn how to better handle theirfinances. There is NO COST to anyone. The Seminar is not designed to sell anything nor to obligate you in any way. THE SEMINAR ISFREE.

Subjects to be discussed will be: (1) Our duty to material thingsaccording to the Scriptures, (2) Building a budget that works and buying habits, (3) Social security and the preacher, (4) Preparing foryour family's future, should you die unexpectedly, (5) Retirement and

(6) Record keeping and income tax.

During the seminar the preacher will learn how to legally reducehis taxable income. If he desires to become exempt from SocialSecurity, he will be advised of the requirements, benefits and deficitsof such action and will be assisted in doing so if he so chooses. Also, thepresent and future status of the church in the eyes of the IRS will be discussed. Preachers will be told of the current laws affecting thechurch's tax status and will be assisted in filing, when necessary, for tax exempt status.

If you do not see a city near you, contact PROJECT HELP, Route1 Box 293A, Houston, MS 38851 or call (601) 456-4624.SEMINARS: Atlanta (June 7), Memphis (June 30) and Dallas(July 19).

IN THE NEWS THIS MONTH

BAPTISMS 196

RESTORATIONS 35

(Taken from bulletins and papers

received by the editor)